IMO, Survivor's longevity is due to the fact that we enjoy watching people dumber than we are. It makes us feel good.

Major Crimes is a lot darker than The Closer, isn't it? Very little of the whimsy of the first show. Good move, on the whole, since Sharon isn't going for any of the colorful eccentricities that were Brenda's trademark...THAT would be a mistake. Yet it's somehow not as engaging as The Closer.

Partly because the writers haven't given Mary O'Donnell anything to do. She was positively wimpy in this last episode. Rusty was shouting at her in her office, and she kept saying "Let me explain" but he kept on shouting and drowing her out until Provenza stepped in and put an end to it. It needed a strong male voice to set the kid straight. Personally, I was hoping Rusty would meet his father, take an instant liking to him, pack his bags, and leave the series forever.

Remember when Sunday was the night everyone watched Murder, She Wrote because nothing better was on? I am so glad that has changed! Last night, a new TAR, a new Good Wife, a new Dexter, and the first episode of the new Upstairs, Downstairs(which we recorded to watch later because I was all TV'd out by then). It was a good night.

It was a welcome night, after a week of new shows that I won't be watching. I can't stand Dennis Quaid, but I do like Michael Chiklis so I gave Vegas a look. It will be my last look.

All the promos for TAR kept pushing the news that this year the prize would be TWO million dollars. But then it turns out only one of the teams will be eligible for that prize, the team that won the first leg. Sleazy.

Yes, that seemed rather underhanded to me, too. And I hope this bunch of racers settles down soon.

Tne new shows are disappointing, especially Elementary and Last Resort. I didn't even watch all of Made in Jersey, it's so cookie-cutter. I missed the premiere of 666 Park Avenue; did anyone watch that?

Dexter has become disturbing in its matter-of-factness. When the series first started, Dexter's victims were all men who had gotten away with murder. Now he doesn't even wait for the police to catch them. When he found the fingerprint on the direction signal handle, all he had to do was tell Deb and the guy would have been arrested and tried. But he kept it to himself, wanting to kill him. He's killing for his own satisfaction. How is this series going to end?

The new Upstairs, Downstairs was a repeat of the first two (of three) episodes, first broadcast last year. The second season will start in a couple of weeks, it's six episodes. Unfortunately, it didn't compete well with Downton Abbey, and the BBC has cancelled the series.